Original scientific paper

URINARY NEOPTERINE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER: ALTERATIONS AFTER TREATMENT WITH PAROXETINE AND COMPARISON WITH HEALTHY CONTROLS

Ibrahim Taymur ; Department of Psychiatry, Şevket Yilmaz Teaching and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
Kadir Özdel orcid.org/0000-0002-3712-9444 ; Department of Psychiatry, Yildirim Beyazid Teaching and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
Nurper Erberk Özen ; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Ufuk University, Ankara, Turkey
Buket Belkiz Güngör orcid.org/0000-0001-7227-5167 ; Department of Psychiatry, Şevket Yilmaz Teaching and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
Murad Atmaca ; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Firat University, Elazığ, Turkey

Abstract

Background: A close relationship has been shown between mood disorders and pteridine levels. The aim of this study was to
examine alterations in the urine neopterine levels of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who responded to paroxetine
during the initial treatment and to compare their levels to those of healthy controls.
Subjects and methods: Sixteen patients with major depression and 19 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. In order to
assess depression severity levels, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory
were administered. Urinary neopterine values that were measured using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) were
compared using non-parametric tests for the MDD patients before and after treatment. Urine neopterine levels in MDD patients
before and after treatment were compared to those of the healthy control group.
Results: Urinary neopterine levels were recorded as follows: For the MDD group before treatment the mean level was
187.92±54.79 μmol/creatinine. The same group under treatment at 4 to 8 weeks was at 188.53±4962 μmol/creatinine, and the
healthy control group showed 150.57±152.98 μmol/creatinine levels. There was no statistically significant difference in the urinary
neopterine levels among the MDD patients before and after treatment (p=0.938). When urine neopterine levels in MDD patients
before and after treatment were compared to those of the healthy control group, levels in the MDD group were found to be
significantly higher (p=0.004 and p=0.005, respectively).
Conclusions: Findings from the current study suggest that despite treatment response, depression is related to higher levels of
urine neopterine. Paroxetine treatment has no significant effect on urine levels of neopterine in MDD patients.

Keywords

neopterine – depression – MDD - immune system - paroxetine

Hrčak ID:

155884

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/155884

Publication date:

9.3.2015.

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